


Our Past and Our Future

by Blackwolf6249



Category: The Land Before Time (Movies)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Coming of Age, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Mild Gore, One Shot Collection, Rating May Change, Slice of Life, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-05-14 14:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19274764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackwolf6249/pseuds/Blackwolf6249
Summary: Adolescence is an awkward time of self discovery as well as physical growth. Chomper seems to experience this the most because of his Sharptooth heritage. But when he and his friends meet an unlikely friend during one of their adventures, things might be turning out for the better. Series of Slice of Life Oneshots related to "Past and Future". Cross posted on FF.net.





	1. 1- An Encounter in the Canyon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While exploring the Secret Caverns, the gang find themselves trapped in a canyon. Chomper makes a new friend in a young Sharptooth who shows them the way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story/Oneshot was heavily inspired by 'The Lion Guard' episode 'Never Judge a Hyena by Its Spots'. Arya's introduction to the gang went through many changes (which also included her backstory), but I thought that the way Jasiri and Kion meet fit well with her character.
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

The heat of the Bright Circle burned high in the sky. It was the middle of the Warm Time which meant that it could get awfully hot during the day. Many creatures both big and small searched for ways to combat the heat, whether that be finding shade or go for a refreshing swim.

In the Mysterious Beyond, a group of seven young dinosaurs emerged from a cave, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the sun. The group was consisted of seven different kinds: a Longneck, a Threehorn, a Spiketail, a Swimmer, a Flier, and a Fast Runner and, surprisingly enough, a Sharptooth. They had all entered the Time of Great Growing some time ago and were now in their early to mid-teens. The group looked around at the small canyon they had entered with interest. They had planned on exploring the unknown parts of the Secret Caverns that day and unfortunately a cave-in cut them off from the way back to the Great Valley. So they had to go deeper into the tunnels to look for a way back. This was a new place that none of them recognized so they were eager to explore it. The canyon itself was a large channel with a little stream running through it and random bushes dotted the ground.

Cera, the Threehorn, was the first to speak. "Great." She groaned. "Where are we now?"

"Maybe we came out somewhere else in the Valley." The Longneck who was named Littlefoot thoughtfully spoke up, walking further into the chasm with his friends trailing behind him.

"Doesn't look like any part of the Valley I've seen." Cera grumbled.

"Where do we go now? Now where do we go?" The Fast Runner named Ruby asked, bring up the rear of the group with Chomper, the young Sharptooth.

"Hmm. . ." Littlefoot paused in thought to consider her words before replying. "Maybe if we follow this canyon we can see where we are?"

"That is a good idea, Littlefoot! Yep! Yep! Yep!" The Swimmer named Ducky, who was walking by Spike the Spiketail's side, cried. Spike grunted in approval.

The rest agreed and with that they began to walk farther into the canyon. An hour or so later, they came to an intersection in the gorge that split off in three different directions. Here, the stream emptied into a small bay before it turned into rapids down the farthest right passageway. More bushes dotted the landscape, though larger than the ones that they had been seeing. It was a good place to take a break to eat and get a drink before they resumed their journey.

They separated and went to go eat their fill. Some of the Leaf Eaters moved to the bushes to eat while the rest went to the water to quench their thirst. Chomper waded into the moving water to try his luck at catching fish. Ruby had been teaching him how to fish when bugs didn't seem to be filling him up as much anymore. He was a fast learner and caught on quickly. He was nearly waist deep when he suddenly froze and began sniffing, his eyes darting around nervously.

Littlefoot noticed this and approached his friend with a look of concern. "What's wrong, Chomper?"

Chomper didn't answer at first as he waded back to shore and resumed sniffing the air. Finally, he spoke. "Guys, I don't think we're in the Great Valley. I think we're in the Mysterious Beyond!"

"W-Why you say that?" Petrie, the Flier, whimpered from his perch on Spike's back.

"Because I think I smell a Sharptooth." He paused to double check the scent and his face became one of alarm. "And it's coming this way!" He cried.

His friends' eyes widened in horror as a chorus of "oh no" echoed throughout the group. Thinking fast, Littlefoot spotted a large pile of rocks on the far side of the chasm big enough for them all to hide behind. It wasn't be the best hiding place, but it would have to do on short notice.

"Over there!" He quickly ran toward the pile. "We can hide here!"

"But won't it find us?" Cera questioned. "I mean, that's not a very good hiding place."

"Do you have any better ideas?" Littlefoot retorted. Cera grumbled, but quickly ducked behind the mass of stone with the rest quickly following.

No sooner than they ducked out of sight that a silhouette appeared on the rock wall of the middle path. They held their breath and clutched onto each other as the shadow drew closer and closer. Finally, a pale grey Sharptooth like Chomper stepped into view. It had honey coloured eyes and was littered with faint scars that showed the harshness of life in the Mysterious Beyond. The surprising thing was that it looked to be about their age if not slightly older. Most of the Sharpteeth that they encountered on their adventures were adults and very few had young with them.

The Sharptooth approached the water and stooped down to take a drink. The Sharptooth swallowed a couple gulps before rearing back up. Then it hesitated and to their dismay began to smell the air and look around. The gang braced for the inevitable sprint that would happen once the Sharptooth figured out their hiding place. The Sharptooth's gaze fell onto the rock pile and it opened its mouth.

" _I know you're there._ "

Chomper almost gasped when the Sharptooth, now revealed to be a female, seemed to address him. He mentally cursed his kind's superior sense of smell. Of course she could smell them! Of all the places he and his friends hid from Sharpteeth, this was one of the worst. Luckily, if it came down to it, they could probably take her in a fight. He knew Cera would be all for it.

" _Come on out._ " The female Sharptooth's voice shook him out of his thoughts. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his friends watching him as if waiting for a translation.

The Sharptooth continued. " _I smell Leaf Eaters in there with you. Live ones. If you're not going to eat them then what are you_ _ **doing**_ _with them?_ "

Chomper noted that she had sounded genuinely curious, not judgemental like other Sharpteeth he had actually gotten to talk to. Even his parents were somewhat at odds with his choice of friends, although it had gotten better since Littlefoot and the others left the island.

Dumbfounded, Chomper couldn't help but reply. " _They're . . . They're my friends._ " His declaration seemed to puzzle her and she cocked her head and frowned. He was ready for her to start laughing or say something rude.

" _. . . Okay._ "She breathed deeply. " _Well, you can come out you know._   _I won't try anything._ "

Chomper's jaw dropped. He could vaguely hear his friends whispering to him in concern and for translations. He raised his hand to them in a reassuring gesture before replying. " _R . . . Really?"_

The female Sharptooth nodded. " _Promise. I'd rather not risk getting my tail handed to me."_

Chomper grinned widely and eagerly summarised the conversation to his friends despite his mind still trying to grasp what just happened. Was this really a Sharptooth he could possibly teach to be friendly? She seemed nice enough. And she didn't try to attack them yet so that was a plus. He couldn't stop smiling when it set in that what happened had actually happened. Of course,  _someone_  had to bring logic into it . . .

"Are you crazy?!" Cera all but shouted when he suggested leaving the protection of the rocks. "You actually believe that Sharptooth?! How do we even know she's telling the truth? What if she tries to eat us?"

He opened his mouth to reply but Ruby stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "One way to find out if she's telling the truth is to see if she's telling the truth."

"Yeah," Chomper said, thankful that the Fastrunner was backing him up. "And if she's not telling the truth, we can easily deal with her. She might even know the way out."

Littlefoot stepped between his quarreling friends which drew their attention. "I agree with Chomper." This caused Cera to huff and roll her eyes. Chomper beamed, glad that someone else was on his side. "There are seven of us and one of her. If it comes down to it we can take her on if she decides to fight."

Littlefoot turned to the rest of the gang and they all exchanged nervous glances. They took a breath to steel themselves before nodding in agreement. Littlefoot gave Chomper an encouraging smile and motioned for him to take the lead. The young Sharptooth gulped, trying to calm himself as he finally emerged from behind the rocks with his friends trailing behind him. They stopped in defensive stances once they were in view of the other Sharptooth. She tilted her head and her eyes roamed over each of them head to toe as she scrutinized them. Then as if sensing their apprehension, she stepped back as if to show them that she meant no harm. Chomper appreciated the gesture and let out a breath, the others seemed to do the same.

Both groups lapsed into silence as if daring the other to make a move. Finally, Littlefoot nudged Chomper's side which drew his attention. The longneck nodded in the direction of the female Sharptooth. Chomper nodded in understanding and stepped forward.

" _Uh . . . Hi."_  He started shyly. " _M-My name's Chomper."_  His face heated up when the female's lips twitched into a small smile. " _And these are my friends. . ."_

Chomper then preceded to introduce each of his friends. He pointed to each of them as he said their name and watched the Sharptooth nod. When he was finished, he turned back to the other Sharptooth with a grin.

" _I'm Arya."_  She said, returning the smile.

She was careful not to show her teeth as to not frighten the Leafeaters. Chomper felt his face heat up once more and his eyes widened, causing his friends to ask if he was alright. He quickly translated, earning a few mischievous smirks which made him grimace and his face redden more. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the situation. After the whole, Time of Great Giving incident he'd pretty much given up on encountering a Sharptooth who would be willing to even be nice to him. Now, here was a Sharptooth who was being nice to him and he could hardly contain himself.

Arya's voice shook him from his thoughts. " _So uh what are you guys doing here? This is . . . kind of my home."_

" _Wait, you live here? Alone?"_  Chomper asked, tilting his head.  _"Where are your folks?"_

Arya didn't say anything at first, nervously picking at her claws. She sighed.  _"Well, Dad didn't stick around so I never got a chance to meet him. And Mom got really sick and passed away towards the end of the last Cold Time."_

Chomper winced in sympathy.  _"Sorry about that."_

" _Honest question."_  She replied shrugging.  _"Anyway, back to my first question: What are you guys doing here?"_

Chomper quickly summarized how he and his friends ended up in the canyon. Arya hung on to his words and her eyes almost bugged out of her head when he mentioned living in the Great Valley. He rolled his eyes as that was a familiar reaction of just about everyone when they found out he lived in the Valley.

" _It's a long story."_  He said then continued his account.

When he finished, Arya stared at him, jaw slack in bewilderment.  _"Well,"_  She started after a while.  _"I can show you how to get out of here if you want._  The Sharptooth gestured to where the canyon split into three paths multiple behind her. _"It's easy to get lost in here if you don't know where you're going."_

" _Uh,"_ Chomper blinked and glanced at his friends. " _How do we know you won't lead us into a trap?"_

Arya shrugged.  _"You don't. But it's better than wondering around here for who knows how long and running into a Sharptooth who actually_ wants _to eat you."_

Chomper frowned in thought. Arya did bring up a good point. They would be able to get home faster and there would be less of a chance of encountering more Sharpteeth. And there would also be more time to be able to talk to Arya. Chomper glanced behind himself and was met with the encouraging smile of Littlefoot, which reassured him.

He took a deep breath.  _"Okay. Can you help us out of the canyon?"_

" _No problem."_  Arya replied smiling. Chomper smiled in return and turned to the others to begin translating.

However, before he could open his mouth, Cera beat him to it. "You done talking to your  _girlfriend_  Chomper?" She smirked, raising a brow. Spike, Ducky and Petrie snickered while Littlefoot and Ruby grinned playfully.

Chomper glared at her. "She's not my girlfriend, Cera!" He growled, but that just made her laugh. His frown deepened and he clenched his claws into fists.

Thankfully, Littlefoot stepped in before things could escalate any further. "So what'd she say?"

"She said that she'd show us the way out." He replied, his frown melting away as he turned to the friend that  _wasn't_  trying to get on his nerves.

"That's great!" The longneck said. "What are we waiting for?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Cera cried, butting in between the two, frowning at Chomper "You're actually going to trust that Sharptooth?"

Chomper frowned. "I'm a Sharptooth. Do you trust  _me_?"

"Well, yeah."

"And I trust  _her_." He said. Chomper sent a pleading look to his friends, hoping that he could convince him. It seemed to work as they nodded and turned to stare expectantly at Cera.

Finally, Cera groaned. "Fine." She then glared at Chomper and growled. "But if we get eaten it'll be all  _your_  fault!"

Chomper sighed and rolled his eyes, a small smirk on his face. "I know."

With Arya leading the group, they left the lagoon and went down the same path that she'd come in. It was slightly narrower than the way they came, only enough room for them to walk comfortably in pairs, and had more twists and turns. They also saw how easy it would be to get lost as they passed more junctions splitting off into many different directions and going who knows where. At one point, they passed a particularly wide, but short trail that contained a cave, which Arya pointed out as her den.

And the entire time, Chomper chatted with Arya. He found out that she mostly ate fish or scavenged, and that she would only hunt when she absolutely had too. Even then she would target only the old, sick or otherwise weak herd members, but she drew the line at the young ones.

" _I may need to kill to eat, but I'm not heartless."_  She had said.  _"It's really sad when someone who has a whole life ahead of them doesn't get to experience it. And I'd rather not be the one to cause more suffering than I already do."_

She then prompted Chomper to explain why he was living with Leaf Eaters. So He recounted how his friends had accidentally hatched a Sharptooth egg in the Great Valley and the many adventures they had since then. He also explained how his parents sent him to live in the valley with his friends to keep him safe from Redclaw. Like last time, Arya listened attentively to his story and chuckled when he told her about having  _friends for diner._

" _I still can't believe they actually thought I'd eat them! I mean I apparently bit Cera's tail when I was a hatchling, but don't really remember doing that."_ Chomper laughed, which caused Arya to laugh as well. " _It's sort of an inside joke between us all now, so that's good."_

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang were watching Chomper and Arya laugh at something Chomper had said. While feeling somewhat left out, they were happy that Chomper had found a friend of his own kind. Littlefoot in particular, who saw the young Sharptooth as a little brother and wanted the best for him, was excited. If Chomper had friends in the Mysterious Beyond, then he wouldn't be lonely if he was to someday leave the Great Valley. Although, Littlefoot never wanted it to happen under negative circumstances, he still knew it was a possibility in the future.

From beside him, he heard Cera grunt. He glanced over and saw her sneering at the Sharpteeth's backs. While Cera's default expression was an annoyed stare, Littlefoot could tell there was more to it.

"What's wrong Cera?" He whispered, not wanting the Sharpteeth in the lead to hear.

Cera grumbled, sounding much like her father but he wasn't going to point that out. "I don't like this." She replied also in a whisper.

Littlefoot grinned "Of course you don't."

"I mean it!" She snapped, glaring at him. "We don't even  _know_  this Sharptooth. What if she's lying? She could be leading us into a trap for all we know."

"I know, but it's either that or get lost. Chomper thinks she's telling the truth and that's good enough for me." He said, smiling at the Sharpteeth's backs. Chomper and Arya seemed to start up a new conversation.

Cera sighed in irritation. "Why are Longnecks always so  _trusting_?"

"Depends," Littlefoot smirked mischievously. "Why are Threehorns always so stubborn?"

He knew it was a bad idea the moment it left his mouth. But he couldn't help snickering when Cera whirled on him with a glare that just screamed  _run_. Thankfully, she just rolled her eyes with a huff, shaking her head and grumbling. Littlefoot just kept grinning as he heard the others behind him quietly giggling as to not draw Cera's wrath.

Arya blinked as she watched this happen.  _"Is the Three- uh . . . Cera always like that?"_

Chomper glanced at the Threehorn with a raised brow having heard some of the conversation between her and Littlefoot.  _"Sort of. It's a . . . uh Threehorn thing. She's not so bad once you get to know her._ "

Not much later, they finally reach the exit of the canyon. The path they were on widened considerably until they were suddenly free of the stone walls and staring at the rolling dry landscape of the Mysterious Beyond. The Bright Circle was beginning its descent in the sky telling the young dinosaurs that it was late in the day. In the distance, they could make out the mountains that bordered the Great Valley. It was obvious to the gang that they had traveled further from the Valley than they thought.

Even though he was happy they made it out of the canyon, Chomper was disappointed that he would have to say goodbye to his new friend. He wished they could stay longer, but he knew they had to get back before the grown-ups started looking for them. It didn't make him feel any better though.

Arya turned to the group and smiled. _"Well here we are. If you want to be back before the Bright Circle leaves the sky, you'd better hurry."_

The young dinosaurs nodded to the female Sharptooth in thanks, knowing that she wouldn't understand them verbally, and started in the direction of the familiar mountains. Chomper followed them, head lowered and tail drooping in sadness.

" _Hey Chomper!"_

He perked up as Arya called his name and he turned to her.  _"Huh?"_

" _Don't be a stranger next time!"_  Arya cried.

With a wave, she turned and walked back into the canyon. Chomper waved in return and watched as her tail disappeared around the corner with a huge smile on his face. Oh, there was defiantly going to be a next time! He had to think of a way for there to be a next time. Would he have to sneak back here or would his friends not him? Would they join him? Chomper was so deep in thought that he was startled by a voice.

"Chomper!"

He quickly ran to catch up with his friends. "Coming!"


	2. Oneshot: Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There comes a time in everyone's life where a choice must be made, one which may irreversibly alter the path ahead." When Chomper is on the verge of starving, he must make a choice if he is to stay in the Valley. This may be the hardest thing he’s had to do, but luckily he has the support of his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot takes place in my ‘Our Past and Our Future’ timeline/AU but it’s before Chomper met Arya. It serves as a sort of a more in depth backstory/flashback.   
> I also wrote this for the July prompt for fanfiction prompt challenge over on the Gangoffive forum.

* * *

It was another warm day in the Valley, the Bright Circle shone brightly as it always did during the Warm Times. It was the perfect weather for friends to play in the water. In fact, that’s what Littlefoot and the others were doing while she sat on the bank, waiting.

 Chomper had yet to show up.

 The young Sharptooth had went through a growth spurt over the last Cold Time and was now only a little shorter than Ruby, who was now half the size of her parents. And with the growth spurt came the growing appetite. It was getting harder and harder for him to find enough bugs to fill him up on a day to day basis. He sometimes spent most of the day just trying to find enough to eat. The thing that really startled Ruby was that the poor Sharptooth was beginning to lose weight. It wasn’t noticeable at first but after a while he started to look sick, constantly being in pain from an empty belly.

 Ruby knew she wasn’t the only one to notice. Littlefoot was also distressed about his friend’s plight, sharing worrying looks with her and the others when Chomper wasn’t looking. They all knew that something had to be done in order to save him. And they knew that if nothing was done then either Chomper had to leave the Valley or, and more morbidly, he would starve to death. Nobody wanted their friend to leave and they certainly didn’t want to watch him waste away.

 No one was more frightened about the predicament than Chomper. Although he didn’t voice his concerns, they could tell that he was terrified of what was going to happen. Chomper loved his friends, and the Great Valley, and would do just about anything for them. He just hoped it wasn’t having to leave. He hatched here after all.

 Ruby was then alerted to the sound of rustling bushes. Out stepped Chomper, whose attention was on his feet as he approached the pool. Something must have happened as she could see tears pricking his eyes. It was something they noticed happening a lot more recently and the miserable sight broke her heart each time.

 She stood and met him some of the way. “Chomper! Hello my friend, my friend hello!”

 “Hey Ruby.”

 His dejected greeting as he passed her erased her friendly smile. The others had paused what they were doing when they heard Ruby’s welcoming shout. They too frowned in concern as they watched the Sharptooth lean down to take a drink. It was apparent to them all that today was another bad day for the young Sharptooth.

 “What’s wrong, Chomper?” Littlefoot was the first to approach him, the others soon crowding around him as well.

 Chomper gulped down the water and sniffed. “I . . . I overheard some adults talking.” His voice was shaking, trying to keep his emotions in check.

 “So?” Cera snorted, which caused Littlefoot to nudge her and shoot her a warning glance.

 Chomper swallowed, his throat suddenly becoming dry despite the drink he just had, and continued. “They were talking about me.”

 “What did they say, Chomper? Chomper, what did they say?” Ruby questioned. Her elder sister instincts were flaring with the urge to protect, as was usual these days.

 So Chomper recounted how, as he was foraging for creepy crawlers in a place full of holes and rotten logs, he stumbled across two adults. A Spike-thumb and a Swimmer were browsing leaves off the bottoms of trees and engaged in conversation. Not wanting to disturb them he hid behind a nearby bush and overheard bits of their chat.

“ _I can’t believe that Sharptooth’s still around,_ ” One said.

“ _He’s getting too big._ ” The other agreed. “ _I’m surprised he hasn’t attacked anyone yet._ ”

Then, Chomper recalled, it got worse. “ _He should have been kicked out a long time ago._ ” The Spike-thumb had said. “ _It’s only a matter of time before he eats someone!_ ” Chomper explained that he ran off after hearing that last part.

By the time he had finished, tears were starting to stream down his cheeks. His friends had varying levels of surprise etched onto their faces. And in Cera’s case, the Threehorn looked ready to march right back to those idiotic grown-ups and give them a piece of her mind. Chomper was at times emotional, even more so since entering adolescence, but it took something truly upsetting to make him cry. Lately, it seemed to happen more and more. Littlefoot was the first to recover from the shock and speak up.

 “Don’t listen to them Chomper.” He started, nudging the Sharptooth to comfort him. “You’re our friend and you’re a _good_ Sharptooth. You deserve to be here, just like everyone else.” The rest nodded and hummed their agreement.

 Chomper gave a small smile and wiped his eyes. “Thanks, guys.” Then his face fell as a thought crossed his mind. “But if I can’t find something better than creepy crawlers to eat then I’d _really_ have to leave.”

 Ruby frowned in thought. She did have one solution in mind. Scaly Swimmers were abundant in the Great Valley with all the water that it contained. Some could even get to a good enough size that a full grown Sharptooth could easily fill its belly. She had seen it happen out in the Mysterious Beyond and some kinds of Sharpteeth actually fed exclusively on Scaly Swimmers. Even her family sometimes fed on them and she was taught from a young age how to catch them. However, dinosaurs were disapproving of Chomper’s current diet of insects, what would they say to this?

When she and Chomper first arrived in the Valley, they agreed not to eat meat within the Valley walls. It was easy for her since her kind could live off of green food as well as meat, but it was harder for Chomper. After all, his kind solely ate meat, but it was agreed upon that he could eat the insects and water creatures that called the Valley home. But Scaly Swimmers contained blood, something that would be extra disturbing to those who would come across him eating one. Would that be accepted as a possible substitute?

 Ruby pondered this as she took in Chomper’s current state. She was just able to see his ribs poke out whenever he took a deep breath. His once sharp red eyes were now dull and bags could be seen under his eyes from sleepless nights dealing with stomach pain from hunger. He looked to be in pain, both physically and now emotionally. He needed food and fast.

 With that final thought racing through her mind, she looked at the fast water. She knew there were Scaly Swimmers there and she knew how to catch them. She abruptly turned and made her way to the fast water, ignoring her friends’ worried inquiries, and waded into the water just below her waist. She paused there frozen with her hands at the ready, waiting for one of the fish to swim nearer.

 She noticed a sudden flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. It was a lone Scaly Swimmer lazily swimming by. Ruby slowly got into position and breathed to steady herself for the strike, vaguely aware of her friends watching her in confusion. Then with a blurring strike, she snatched it from the water and flung it onto the shore making her friends yelp and jump away in surprise.

 Chomper stared gobsmacked at the wiggling morsel at his feet, then up at Ruby as she came to shore. Of course he knew that she could fish and that her kind ate the Scaly Swimmers. He also knew that he had eaten some. But that was before they came to the valley and they promised never to eat meat inside the valley walls. Chomper knew all of this, but couldn’t help salivating at the sight of the flopping Scaly Swimmer. Even just one of these could certainly remedy his hunger.

 He involuntarily licked his lips, aware that his friends were looking at him with nervous expressions. He glanced at the Fast Runner who was now shaking herself dry. “A-Are you sure Ruby?”

 The Fast Runner sighed and gave him a solemn look that proved just how hard this was for her. “Eating this is better than not eating this, Chomper.”

 Chomper gulped, staring at the Scaly Swimmer as its movements finally slowed. He wanted to refuse, but a sudden pang of hunger made him wince. Stomach pain was the norm for him these days, but this seemed worse than before. Like his stomach knew there was a potential source of food nearby and was urging him to take it. Chomper sighed before taking the first bite, ignoring his friends’ disgusted complaints.

 Immediately, the sweet metallic flavour exploded on his tongue and he had to hold back his moan of pleasure. He was mildly surprised at how juicy the Scaly Swimmer was as he could feel them slowly running down his chin as he chewed. After a few more bites, Chomper was delighted to feel some relief from his hunger that he hadn’t felt in a while.

He was so focused on eating that when he went to take another bite, he was surprised to find that the only thing left were the bones and the head. When he looked up, Chomper was met with the sickened grimaces of his friends. He winced and wiped the juices off his chin, embarrassed that they saw his momentary lack of control.

Ruby cleared her throat. “Does that feel better Chomper?” She asked with a small smile.

Chomper nodded and licked the stickiness from his lips. He didn’t feel any more pain and for once he wasn’t hungry. His belly had a comfortable weight that he hadn’t felt for a while and it felt better knowing that he didn’t have as hard or as long for it. Chomper smiled at the Fast Runner who returned it.

Littlefoot moved beside Chomper, careful to avoid the Scaly Swimmer remains. “So,” He began, his attention on Ruby. “Do you think this will work?”

The Fast Runner nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen grown Sharpteeth survive on Scalies in the Mysterious Beyond. It’s only a matter of learning how.”

“But won’t grown-ups be against Chomper eating Scaly Swimmer?” Petrie piped up from atop Spike’s back, shuttering at the memory of moments ago.

Cera snorted. “Who cares? As long as he’s not eating anyone!”

Littlefoot looked at the Sharptooth who hadn’t spoken since he finished eating. Chomper indeed looked better and Littlefoot saw a brightness in his eyes that he hadn’t seen in a while. “What do you think Chomper?”

The Sharptooth glanced nervously around at his friends then down at the bones of the Scaly Swimmer at his feet. He almost started salivating again at the thought of getting more. It’d been so long since he had actual meat that he almost forgot what it tasted like and some part of him missed it. However, the other part was worried about what would happen if he agreed. When he was just eating Crawlers, he could sometimes pretend that he wasn’t really a Sharptooth despite not being able to eat green food. But if he chose to learn how to catch Scaly Swimmers, he was one step closer to being a real Sharptooth.

“If it means I won’t have to leave the Great Valley. . .” Chomper said after a while before sighing. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

Not much later, the young Sharptooth found himself nearly waist deep in the Fast Water. The others, except for Ruby, sat on the bank to watch the lesson. Chomper stared at the bottom, scanning for movement since after he first waded out he noticed some Scaly Swimmers dart away. He tried not to move in the hope that they would come back if they saw that the coast was clear. Ruby was next to him, bent over with her head close to the water’s surface in the proper stance. Chomper wordlessly copied her and got into positon.

“The first thing you need to know about catching Scalies is that there is a lot of waiting.” She began, eyes glued to the water. “And because there is a lot of waiting, you need to be patient. Patient is what you need to be.”

Chomper nodded in understanding. Patience was the first rule that was instilled to him by his parents when he was just learning to hunt. Even though he instinctively knew the basics right out of the egg, it took some time to learn to wait for the most opportune moment. Although, he still had trouble remembering his lessons from time to time.

After a short wait, he spotted a Scaly Swimmer lazily swimming out of the corner of his eye. His muscles tensed in preparation to spring as he watched it move closer.

Ruby must have spotted it too because she continued on with the next part of the lesson. “Okay, since your arms are well. . .”She paused to gesture to his short arms. In response, Chomper raised a brow at her causing Ruby to chuckle softly. The Fast Runner bent down until her chin was barely touching the water and her eyes never leaving the Scaly Swimmer in front of her. “You’ll have to use your mouth. Wait for the Scalie to get close and then grab it. But you’ll have to be fast because if you’re not fast you won’t catch it.”

Like before, she struck with blinding speed, this time using her head to snatch the Scalie Swimmer. Ruby used the momentum to throw it to the bank where it flopped around. The others flinched in surprise, but weren’t as startled as before. Chomper watched as the wiggling slowed and looked to Ruby who wore an expecting expression. It was now his turn.

Chomper mimicked her stance and waited for another Scalie to swim by. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for him to spot one on its way over. He tensed as the Scaly Swimmer stopped and held its position directly in front of him, mentally playing back Ruby’s demonstration. He took a breath to steady himself and then struck at it with all the speed he could muster. Unfortunately, the Scaly Swimmer was faster as he completely missed and ended up with a mouth full of water. Chomper came back out sputtering and coughing, ridding the water from his mouth and nose.

Ruby chuckled, flicking water off herself from Chomper’s splashing. “That was a good first try, Chomper. You just need to practice until practice isn’t practice anymore.” She then gave him an encouraging smile. “Just like with Log Running.”

So Chomper tried again and again to catch a Scaly Swimmer. After a while, he started getting closer and closer with each try. It was both encouraging and frustrating since he could sometimes feel them slip out of his jaws and was left spitting out water. Ruby had since waded back to shore to watch and give him advice when it seemed like he needed it.

He growled under his breath as he watched another swim in front of him. With a breath, Chomper struck at it and with a rush of excitement he finally felt his teeth clamp down onto the wiggling body. Unfortunately, the rock he was standing on shifted making him lose his balance and disappear under the water with a splash. He came up sputtering and trying to shake off the water, having lost the Scaly Swimmer.

Seeing his friend was getting frustrated, Littlefoot decided to step in. “Uh Chomper?” He started nervously.

“ _What?_ ” Chomper growled, sounding harsher than he meant to be.

“Maybe you should take a break.” Continued the Longneck.

Chomper sighed. To his dismay, he’d actually gotten worse in catching Scaly Swimmers where he would miss them by a wider margin than when he started. He chalked it up to being tired and he could feel the familiar hunger pangs beginning again. Chomper then remembered the Scaly Swimmer that was still sitting on the bank from Ruby’s earlier teachings. In fact, having a rest and something to eat sounded pretty good right about now. With that thought in mind, he turned and waded to shore and shook himself dry.

“Do not worry, Chomper.” Ducky piped up from beside Spike as the two were enjoying a snack of leaves from a nearby bush. “You will get the hang of it. Yep. Yep. Yep.”

He smiled appreciatively at her. “Thanks Ducky.” Chomper replied before moving towards the dead Scaly Swimmer to start eating.

Ruby watched as Chomper dug into his meal. She sympathized with young Sharptooth since she was once in his place and knew how frustrating it could be. Only she wasn’t in danger of starving or being kicked out of her home. Chomper was and if he couldn’t feed himself soon then both options could become a reality.

The one thing that cheered her up was Chomper was doing better than she did after her first lesson. Perhaps it was because his predatory instincts were stronger than hers. After all, he was a pure Sharptooth while she was half Leafeater. Needless to say, Ruby was confident that he would be able to succeed at this because he didn’t have to go through this alone. Ruby saw that Chomper had once again reduced the Scaly Swimmer to bones. She noted that this time he wasn’t consumed by hunger and ate more slowly. That was a good sign that he was on his way to getting better.

“You did great, Chomper.” She said with a smile as she approached him.

Chomper huffed in response. “I didn’t even catch anything.” He looked at Ruby and she saw how defeated he looked. Chomper looked to be on the verge of tears. “Every time I try, I miss! What if I never catch one?”

Ruby placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You will, Chomper. You just have to keep trying. If you keep trying, you’ll catch one.”

“I’ll never be as good as you.” Chomper quietly replied, his saddened gaze turned to the ground.

“Well,” She began. “I had a lot of practice to be as good as I am. And you know what?” Ruby gently tilted Chomper’s chin so he was looking at her. She smiled. “You did better than I did my first time.”

“Really?”

Ruby chuckled at his shocked expression and nodded. “And if you did better than me on your first try, imagine how much better you’ll be after many tries.”

This seemed to cheer Chomper up as a new determined light shone in his eyes. He gazed at the fast water in time to see a group of Scaly Swimmers swimming past as if they were taunting him. Chomper turned and saw the encouraging faces of his friends who he would have to say goodbye to should he fail. He wrinkled his nose and squinted at the Scaly Swimmers in defiance. No way was he going to let a bunch of Scalies beat him!

“You’re right, Ruby!” He said. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Chomper. Chomper, you’re welcome.” She replied, grinning. “And don’t worry about being hungry, I’ll help you with not being hungry.”

So after taking a break to play a much needed game of Toss the Seed, Chomper went back to the Fast Water for round two. He was in much better spirits this time around after playing with his friends. Chomper was usually too busy hunting Creepy Crawlers to be able to.

Chomper once again stood motionless in the water and waited for the perfect time to strike. Unfortunately, he missed another Scaly Swimmer and was left sputtering and shaking his head. However, he didn’t let it bother him as he got ready to try again He kept trying until the Bright Circle started its descent in the sky. And the closest he came was having the Scalie in his jaws, but it escaping before he could get it to shore. Ruby decided to call it a night and caught him his dinner before they joined the others in one last game before they were called back to their nests.

After a few more days of practice, Chomper was starting to look like his old self again. Ribs weren’t sticking out whenever he breathed and he was gaining more and more energy. Yet, he was never able to get a Scaly Swimmer to shore. He was now great a catching them in his mouth, but they never quite make it to dry land. His friends were supportive and cheered him up when it looked like he was starting to get burnt out. And Ruby kept her promise and caught him Scalies to eat when he couldn’t.

Now Chomper stood in the slow current of the fast water, eyeing the lone Scalie swimming in front of him. He snarled and readied for the attack. Like the other times, he struck with the speed of a bolt of Sky Fire and felt his teeth close around it. Feeling it trying to wriggle its way to freedom, Chomper tightened his grip until he felt the tips of his sharp teeth pierce its skin and tasted blood on his tongue. Then he flung it towards the bank. And, unlike the previous times, it landed on dry land where it flopped around.

It took a moment for Chomper to process it but when he did, his face broke into a huge grin. “I did it!” He cried. “Ruby, did you see?”

Ruby laughed in joy as Chomper waded to shore. She met him as he exited the water and gave him a congratulatory hug. “I did, Chomper! I knew you could do it. Do it, I knew you could.”

The others congratulated him on his first successful catch and he thanked them before he dug in. Chomper was blown away by how much tastier this Scaly Swimmer was compared to the ones that Ruby had caught for him. He was always told that food tastes better when you work for it and he agreed whole heartedly.

From there on, Chomper practiced day after day and improved to the point where Ruby didn’t need to catch him his meals as often. Sure, there was the odd time where he was having issues but those were becoming few and far between. And during those days, the young Sharptooth filled out to a healthy weight and became the ball of eagerness and energy he was known for. Ruby and the rest of the gang were relieved to see Chomper improving in health, knowing that they postponed, if not completely destroying, Chomper’s possibility of exile.

Ruby smiled to himself as she watched the young Sharptooth fish. Her and the others decided to break for lunch and were lounging around on the bank. She turned and was munching on a nearby berry bush when she heard a yelp followed by a splash.

She whirled around in time to see Chomper surface and spit out water. Unlike the last time he ended up under water, he was laughing as he tried to rid himself of the water. The others who had seen him flail before he fell in, began to laugh as well and Ruby joined in.

Ruby watched as Cera leapt into the water to begin a splash fight. “ _Everything is going to be okay now. Now everything will be okay."_


	3. 2- Smells Like Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days after their adventure in the canyon, Chomper decides to sneak into the Mysterious Beyond to pay Arya a visit. The two get to know each other better and a friendship starts to grow. That is at least until Redclaw and his Fastbiters show up.

* * *

" _Don't be a stranger!"_

Arya's voice had echoed in Chomper's head ever since they returned from the Mysterious Beyond. For the last couple of days it taunted him nonstop, especially when he was by himself or he was trying to sleep. Some nights, he even saw her in his sleep stories which was kind of embarrassing. He kept it to himself for fear of being laughed at by his friends. They had teased him mercilessly on the way back to the valley for his behaviour with Arya and he didn't want a repeat.

Chomper lay curled up, staring at the walls of his cave. It was early morning, the Bright Circle just peaking up over the mountains and casting a warm glow over the valley. He was used to waking up early as his predatory instincts urged him to get up and find food while it was still sluggish. Not to mention the many adventures that started as soon as the Bright Circle hit the sky- sometimes even before then. But today something else woke him from his slumber.

It was yet another sleep story about the female Sharptooth. He and the gang were back in the canyon and instead of him having to translate, they were all able to understand each other. They were having a great time laughing and playing together like they had known each other for years. Chomper never wanted it to end, but he soon found himself back in his cave with the first signs of light on the horizon. Chomper sighed, he probably wasn't going to see her again so why was he so upset? Nothing will happen like it did in his sleep story and he would soon move on. He tried being friends with other Sharpteeth once and failed miserably. What was the use in trying again?

But then he remembered that Arya was different. She didn't attack them and instead helped them like any other dinosaur. And she didn't shun him after finding out that he was friends with Leafeaters. She had even invited them back, an invitation he hoped to accept sometime.

Chomper silently gasped as an idea suddenly struck him. They could go visit her! He remembered the route they took when they left the canyon and he could also backtrack the trail using his nose. Their scents wouldn't be that old or faded, and he was an excellent tracker. The hard part wold be to convince his friends. Chomper remembered how hard was to convince them, especially Cera, to trust Arya. What would they say to this? Littlefoot and Ruby would be the easiest to persuade, but Ducky, Spike, and Petrie were harder as they might be nervous. Cera would flat out refuse and try to convince the others as well. The more he thought about, Chomper came to the conclusion that his friends wouldn't want to go visit a Sharptooth. Even though Arya was nicer than other Sharpteeth, they barely knew her. Unlike Chomper, they didn't understand her or see a potential friendship, a friendship Chomper desperately wanted. If he wanted to see Arya again, he'd have to go alone.

The sound of footsteps echoing off the cave walls caught his attention. From around a corner came Ruby, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Chomper. Chomper, good morning." The Fast Runner greeted him.

"Morning, Ruby." Chomper replied.

Ruby started stretching her arms over her head to get rid of the stiffness from the previous night. "Are you ready to go meet everyone? I think Littlefoot has something planned for us today." She asked.

Chomper weighed the options in his head. He didn't want to upset his friends by declining to hang out with them today, he hardly missed a chance to be with his friends. But he also  _really_  wanted to go see Arya and see if her offer to visit was sincere. Thinking quickly, he feigned a pained grimace.

"I don't think I can come today." Chomper winced and grabbed his belly. "I think I got a bad Scalie last night. I'm not feeling well."

"Oh, that's too bad." Ruby's face grew concerned and she approached him, putting a comforting hand on his head. "Do you want anything? Is there anything I can get you?"

Chomper shook his head with a small smile. "No thanks. You go ahead and meet the others. I'll just stay here and rest."

"Okay." Ruby sighed. "Feel better, Chomper!"

"Bye Ruby!"

Chomper watched as the Fast Runner disappeared around the corner. He waited a while to make sure she was far enough away before leaving his cave. He felt horrible lying to Ruby but if he didn't go now, he'd lose the courage to try. As he stepped into the light of the Bright Circle, Chomper hoped that his hastily thought out plan wouldn't be a bust. He crept through the valley, ducking into any nearby bushes to conceal himself from view. It was better that no one saw him. They'd just gotten over him adding fish to his diet and he didn't want them to add another reason to distrust him to their list.

Thankfully, Chomper made it to the entrance that he and his friends used quickly and without drawing attention to himself. It was a tunnel through the barrier wall that was blocked by vines growing on the other side. The vines were strong smelling Tree Sweet vines that repelled Sharpteeth similarly to the Tree Sweet trees in the Hidden Valley. Chomper often had to hold his breath when pushing through them. Ever since he and his friends found this entrance a few cold times ago, it's been their go to route to the Mysterious Beyond. They had travelled it so often that, even with the many forks, Chomper knew it by heart and soon he was in the Mysterious Beyond.

Chomper then set of along the path he remembered, pausing to sniff the ground every so often. The scents were still there, albeit faded and distorted, so he had to concentrate more on picking them up. He was attentive as he walked, on the lookout for any Sharpteeth that might be on the prowl.

It was nearing midday when he found himself getting close to the canyon. His journey so far was thankfully uneventful but the closer he got to his destination, the more anxious he became. Thoughts of Arya turning him away or her revealing her true nature swirled around in his head. His heart started to race and his breathing became laboured as all the negative things that could happen popped into his head. He stopped and leaned on a nearby tree to steady himself. What was he thinking?! Last time ended so horribly and it was bound to happen again.

Before he could sink further into his panic, Chomper remembered his sleep story from last night. In it, Arya looked so happy and genuine, just like when he first met her in her canyon. Then the echo of her offer that stuck with him for days returned-  _don't be a stranger._  It was said with such kindness that it must have been real.

Chomper took a deep breath, expelling all the negative thoughts from his mind, and continued on. He could just see the canyon emerging from behind the trees as he came around the bend. And before long, the enormous crack in the rock wall loomed in front of him like the mighty jaws of a Sharptooth. Chomper felt the doubt creeping back up but shook his head and leaned down to sniff at the ground near the entrance. He found the old scents of him and the others leading deeper into the canyon and was about to follow the trail when he found a new scent. It was earthy and metallic, something that was usually associated with a predator, but had the sweet tang that all females had. Having remembered this smell from a few days ago, he recognized it as Arya's. The scent couldn't have been more than a few hours old and it moved away from the canyon. So Chomper turned and began to track it along the wall.

The young Sharptooth followed the trail around a bend a short distance away and came across a stream flowing out of one of the many passages in the canyon. He stopped behind a bush and surveyed the area, the trail had ended here so she must have been around somewhere. Chomper spotted her on the bank of the river, digging into a Scalie Swimmer with a pile of bones beside her, indicating her previous catches. He watched as she tossed the newly cleaned bones onto the pile and moved towards the stream. She dipped her head into the water and swirled her face around to wash away the blood and juices from her face.

Chomper was so preoccupied that he didn't notice the stick until he accidentally stepped on it, causing it to crack and he winced at the sudden noise. He saw Arya whirl around with a snarl, growling in his direction, though he knew he was out of sight. However, the look on her face was unnerving as he was reminded that he was dealing with another Sharptooth and not a Leafeater. It was discouraging to see the same face that that was laughing with him a few days ago, contorted in such a way. He was tempted to just turn back, but he had come this far that he was determined to see it through.

" _Who's there?"_ He heard Arya growl. He steeled himself and slowly emerged from the bush, giving a nervous wave.

Arya's snarl slowly melted away when she realized who it was and she tilted her head in surprise. " _Chomper?"_ She cried, raising a brow.  _"What are you doing here?"_

Chomper tugged at his arm, too nervous to meet her eyes. _"I . . . Uh. Y-you said 'don't be a stranger'. I was taking you up on your offer."_  He looked at her to see her regarding him with a blank stare, blinking occasionally. His eyes then widened as he was suddenly overcome by a wave of anxiety.  _"U-Unless you were just saying that?"_

" _No, no"_ Arya began and then snorted in amusement.  _"I just didn't think you'd come back so soon."_

Chomper let out a breath and his lips twitched into a relieved smile. However, the moment was interrupted by a growl and he winced in embarrassment. He had completely forgot to eat before he left and was now paying for it. Arya snickered and Chomper felt his face heat up.

" _Sorry, didn't have breakfast yet."_ He said, chuckling nervously.

Arya laughed and waved him off, nodding towards the river.  _"Help yourself to some Scalies."_ He nodded and followed her to the bank.

While he waded into the water, Arya went over to the pile of bones. She picked up a bunch and carried them a short distance away where she used the talons in her feet to scrape away dirt to make a shallow hole. Chomper watched as she dropped the bones into it and he realized she was discarding her inedible leftovers in a similar way that he did in the valley. He had only made the mistake of not disposing of them once and he heard about it immediately. They made such a big deal about how he was becoming a killer and he was honestly scared of being run out for a while. Thankfully, it all blew over and now he  _always_  made sure to dispose of his bones out of sight. Arya made two more trips of gathering the bones and dropping them into the hole before kicking the dirt back over them. The female Sharptooth then walked over to watch from the bank.

Chomper shook his head and turned his focus to the water. A flash of movement caught is eye and he got into the position that was so familiar to him now, muscles tensed to get ready for the strike. He could feel Arya's eyes on him and he really didn't want to mess up in front of her. The Scaly Swimmer was now within reach and with a blurring strike, it was launched towards shore. Unfortunately, he gained so much momentum that he kept going after the Scalie had left his jaws. He stumbled and went under with a mighty splash. He shot back up sputtering, all too aware of laughter coming from the bank.

" _You okay?"_

Chomper nodded, trying to shrug off the embarrassment. " _I uh meant to do that."_

Arya smirked. " _Sure."_

" _Yeah, wait until I-"_

The rock that Chomper was standing on gave way and sent him back into the water, sending a huge wave towards the bank, soaking Arya. He quickly resurfaced, spitting water from his mouth and looked to see a dripping Arya shaking herself dry. Chomper froze in horror at the realization of what had just happened.

" _I-I'm_ so _sorry! I didn't mean to!"_

To his surprise, Arya started laughing. " _Don't worry about it. A little water never hurt anyone."_  She said, then snorted in amusement. " _That was actually kind of funny."_

Chomper smiled sheepishly at her as he waded to shore and dried himself off. He turned and began to dig into his Scalie which had long since stopped flopping around. As his belly was being filled, he found himself getting progressively calmer in Arya's company. In between bites, they talked and Chomper was once more convinced he was right about her sincerity. Here they were, having a friendly conversation and he could almost forget that he had only met her a few days ago. When the Scalie was nothing more than bones, Chomper went to catch another. That sound of her voice made him pause.

" _So who taught you how to speak Flat-tooth anyway?"_

Her question caught him off guard and he stood there blinking at her for a moment. He quickly shook his head and replied.  _"Uh I taught myself."_  At her stocked stare, he scratched the back of his neck bashfully.  _"I guess I picked it up when Littlefoot and the others hatched me. The rest came from watching other Leafeaters during hunts. Why do you ask?"_

The female Sharptooth fiddled with her claws. Chomper remembered her doing the same thing when he asked about her family back when they first met. He realized that it must be a nervous habit of her's.  _"Can . . . Do you think you could teach me."_

This time it was Chomper who's eyes widened in shock. He froze as he went over her question in his head over and over again thinking he'd heard her wrong. Does she really want to learn how to speak Leafeater? If she did, then it was one step closer to being like it was in his Sleep Story. Chomper was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't realize how long he had been standing frozen with a slackened jaw. Arya was looking at him with a concerned frown, her head tilted slightly. He mentally shook himself and opened his mouth to answer.

However, he was cut off by a loud roar that sounded too close for comfort. He knew that roar, having heard it multiple times when he and his friends were out in the Mysterious Beyond. They turned in the direction that it came from just as a second roar echoed, followed by rumbling footsteps that seemed to shake the leaves.

" _Redclaw!"_

" _He sounds close too."_  Arya agreed, then she frowned and began sniffing the air. Chomper saw a smirk slowly form on her face before turning to him.  _"Come on,"_  She started, walking further away from the canyon.  _"I have an idea."_

Chomper jogged to catch up to her quick pace.  _"Why aren't we going towards your canyon? Wouldn't that be safer?"_

She hopped over a fallen log and slid down a short slope before replying.  _"I want to keep them from finding out where I live for as long as I can. If I lead them back to the canyon, they could easily track me back to my cave."_

The female Sharptooth led him through a forest away from the stream, making them weave around and jump over trees. The thundering footsteps and roars behind them seemed to only get closer, forcing them the keep up the quick pace. Then Chomper got a whiff of something that made him grimace. The scent was horribly similar in stench to the Murky Swamp back in the valley and it was only getting stronger.

They burst through a bush and Chomper had to cover his nose when they came to the edge of a large swamp which was the source of the smell. A quick glance at Arya showed that she wasn't as bothered by the scent as he was, only wearing a grimace that made her nose wrinkle. He was about to ask her why they stopped when she jumped into the murky water. Chomper gaped at her as her light grey scales were painted brown with the smelly mud.

Arya turned and waved at him.  _"Come on! It'll mask our scent."_

Chomper's mind flashed back to when he and his friends went to the Meadow of Jumping Water and Spike fell into one of the stinking pools. They were in a similar predicament and the same giant Sharptooth that was chasing them was repelled by the smell, not that Chomper blamed him. However, that didn't keep him from inwardly gagging at the thought of being up close with the stench for an extended amount of time.

A roar that sounded like it was just on the other side of the bush brought him back to reality. He plugged his nose and hopped in, following Arya as she wadded out to the roots of a nearby tree. They ducked down behind the twisted roots, nearly chest deep in the disgusting water, and waited. Chomper had to breathe through his mouth to keep from taking in the horrid scent, but even then he could barely stand it. Arya looked to be in a similar state, though her calm demeanor seemed to deny it.

They watched the bush they came from through the gaps in the roots, the footsteps were getting increasingly louder and the water rippled from the vibrations. Suddenly, the bushes exploded as Screech and Thud burst through them, followed shortly by Redclaw who flattened the bushes to the ground on his way in. Chomper's breath hitched and a quick glance from Arya made him try to silence his breathing. The older Sharpteeth stood on the swamp's bank and looked around, causing Chomper and Arya to instinctively freeze. They could tell that the swamp's smell was affecting the older Sharpteeth as they grimaced and snorted in disgust. The Fastbiters sniffed at the edge of the water where their scent trail ended, but coughed when all they managed to get was the overwhelming stench of the swamp. They were so close to the adult Sharpteeth that if they made any sort of movement then they would be found out. The only thing that was saving them was staying absolutely still and the swamp masking their scent.

They stayed huddled together behind the tangled roots of the tree for a while before it looked like the older Sharpteeth had given up, growling in both frustration and revulsion as they disappeared back into the bushes. The footsteps and growls eventually faded, letting Chomper and Arya relax and sigh in relief. They waited a little before getting out from their hiding place to make sure that the they were far enough away and wouldn't double back. As they waded back to shore, Arya began to chuckle lightly which made Chomper smirk before joining in. The relief and adrenaline from narrowly escaping death had them giggling as they shook the mud off.

Arya giggled wiping the stray mud off her cheek with a hand.  _"Did you see the look on Screech's face?! He looked like he was about to throw up!"_

" _I wouldn't blame him."_  Chomper replied, laughing.  _"This place smells like rotten eggs and Clubtail waste put together."_  That caused Arya to laugh harder which made him snicker.

Not wanting to be near the smell themselves anymore, they back tracked to the creek where they could wash the rest of the mud off. Even though they were clean, the smell would linger for a while unless they rolled in something else to mask it. At least it wasn't as overpowering as before. Arya told him of other tricks that she had learned while living in the Mysterious Beyond. Covering yourself with mud was great for masking your scent as was demonstrated but it also could be used for camouflage. She looked at him weirdly when he told her about Tria's mud pool and how it was used for relaxing.

Now they were lounging outside Arya's cave, having moved to the relative safety of the canyon. They sat there for a while, letting the Bright Circle warm their scales, before Arya asked him what he was going to say earlier. Chomper blinked, remembering the conversation they were having before Redclaw interrupted them. Arya wanted to speak Leafeater!

" _Uh,"_  Chomper began.  _"I was going to say yes to teaching you how to speak Leafeater."_

Arya grinned.  _"Really?"_  She cheered when Chomper nodded, a smile on his own face.  _"So, what's the first lesson?"_

Chomper paused to think. This wasn't the first time he had taught someone, he taught Spike how to track some Cold Times ago. Although, Spike just needed a push in the right direction since he already could find things with his nose, mainly food. Learning how to talk in any language was difficult and took a long time. He had no idea how even he was able to learn to talk Leafeater, it just sort of happened. How on Earth was he going to teach Arya when he doesn't even remember  _his_  first lesson? His mind went back to when he taught Spike. He simplified the basics to where they made sense not only to himself but to his student as well. If he could explain it, he could teach it.

" _Well, I guess we could start with greetings."_  Chomper began after a while.  _"This is hello."_  He then repeated the word in Leafeater, then he nodded at Arya.  _"Now you try."_

Arya wiggled her mouth, trying to contort it in the way that she'd seen Chomper do. Chomper smiled while biting his tongue to keep from laughing at the funny faces she was making. Finally she managed to get something out.

"R-r. . . Heh. . .row."

" _That was really close for a first try!"_  Chomper said, amazed.  _"Try it like this."_  He then said the word slower and emphasized his mouth movements for her to see. Arya silently mimicked the movements a few times to get a feel for them, looking to Chomper for approval. When he nodded, she tried to say it the way that Chomper did.

"Heh. . . Low. Hello."

Chomper cheered, jumping up from where he sat. " _You did it!_  Now  _let's try introducing yourself."_ He said with an excited grin. Arya laughed before watching him slowly emphasize the next couple of words for her to mimic.

They kept going until the Bright Circle was passed its highest point in the sky. Chomper realized how late it was getting and thought it was time for him to head back, not wanting his friends to come looking for him. Although it was a short lesson, Arya was able to catch on to Chomper's teachings quickly, which greatly impressed him. She could greet someone, introduce herself and say goodbye fluently, albeit with a heavy accent. He assured her that it was just a matter of remembering what the different sounds meant as well as practice and repetition. He promised to return soon to give her another lesson and then exited the canyon, walking back towards the Valley. He had made it back to the Secret Caverns just as his friends appeared on the path leading up to the caves.

Once they got up to him, Littlefoot was the first to speak. "There you are, Chomper! We've been looking everywhere for you."

"Ruby told us you weren't feeling well so we came to check on you." Ducky continued with a look of concern. "Only you weren't here. No, no, no."

Chomper winced and rubbed the back of his neck. He should have known that they would check up on him. Having friends that worried about you was great, but not when you want to do something alone or without their knowledge. He regretted lying to them and disappearing but they would have never have agreed to go see Arya.

"I uh was feeling a bit better and decided to go for a walk." He gave a small apologetic smile. "Sorry for making you guys worry."

Ruby stepped closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders with a grin. "Its okay Chomper. Just tell us next time. Next time tell us."

"Great!" Cera interrupted impatiently. "Now that we've found Chomper, why don't we play a game of Toss the Seed?" Everyone agreed and started heading to the field where they usually played.

Chomper breathed in relief before following his friends. He was thankful that they didn't question him further on his whereabouts. If they had asked anymore questions, he didn't know how long he would be able to keep his secret. He soon found himself walking next to Cera who looked at him with a raised brow. She then frowned and sniffed him, a grimace forming on her face. Chomper nearly froze when she opened her mouth.

"Why do you smell like a swamp?"


	4. The Hunter Becomes The Hunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gang become suspicious of Chomper's recent behaviour and decide to follow him. He leads them into the Mysterious Beyond where a surprise is waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a fun fact: While developing Arya's character, she went through many backstories and story arcs, as well as names. One that I played with for a long time was having Arya being Redclaw's daughter (as one reviewer already seemed to guess towards). I was going to have a sort of Romeo & Juliet type story, but it seemed a little cliché. I still don't know if I'll have Arya actually end up being his daughter or not. What do you guys think?

* * *

Littlefoot knew something was up when Chomper didn't meet back up with them after lunch.

It was another beautifully warm day in the Great Valley and the group of young dinosaurs had spent the morning playing in a watering hole. When the Bright Circle was at its highest, they decided to break for lunch and agreed to meet up afterward to resume their game of Swimmer Splasher. Sometime later, the Leafeaters were waiting by the watering hole for Ruby and Chomper, who had left together in the direction of the Fast Water. Ruby arrived shortly after the others did, but there was no sign of the young Sharptooth. When asked about his whereabouts, Ruby told them that Chomper wouldn't be joining them as he had claimed that he wanted to spend the rest of the day by himself. This greatly confused them as the young Sharptooth usually never turned down a chance to be with his friends.

Littlefoot looked at the Fast Runner bewilderedly. "Did he  _really_  say that he wants to be by himself?" He asked, frowning and tilting his head.

Ruby nodded, confusion etched on her face as well. "Yes. He did say that, but I don't know  _why_  he said that."

Littlefoot didn't know either. While they were splashing around in the water, Chomper looked like he was having fun, if a bit distracted. He kept glancing up at the Bright Circle as if he was waiting for a certain time and he wasn't as into the game as he usually was. When they had asked him, he said that he was okay but they could see that something was defiantly bothering him.

"Maybe he just want alone time?" Petrie spoke up from a nearby branch, shrugging.

Ducky, who was sitting atop a large rock, tilted her head in thought and stroked her chin. "He's been having that a lot lately. He has, he has."

"Well, I think he's up to something! And I want to find out what."

"I don't know, Cera." Littlefoot started, stepping forward in hopes of deterring the Threehorn from doing something reckless. As if he had a chance. "If we follow him, it would be a betrayal of Chomper's trust."

Cera snorted. "But if he's lying then it'll be a betrayal of  _our_  trust! I mean, what if he's in some sort of trouble or one of the Grown Ups find him sneaking around and think he's up to no good?"

It was common knowledge among those that knew him that Chomper wasn't the best liar. Whenever he tried, he would stumble over his words or not be able to make it believable enough to fool anyone. When he claimed to be ill a couple of days ago, Ruby had given him the benefit of the doubt because she didn't want his pain to worsen if he was in fact telling the truth. And then when they couldn't find him later on, there was some doubt in the truthfulness of his words in the back of their minds. The answer they had gotten when they finally found him was sort of flimsy, but they collectively decided not to read much into it. That is, until Cera pointed out that he smelt like a swamp and Chomper started to squirm, trying to come up with a good explanation.

"I say we follow him and find out what he's up to." Cera concluded, walking in the direction that Ruby had come from and stopping a short distance away with a confident grin on her face.

They shared a glance, no doubt the same thing running through their minds. Leave it to Cera to voice what others were too scared to say. And although she was known for her bluntness and headstrong tendencies, she did have a point. They were all worried about Chomper being in any potential trouble or doing something that he shouldn't. They were reminded of the time when he had his last growth spurt and before he had learned how to fish. He had begun to waste away before their very eyes and they were scared that they might actually lose one of their close friends. They didn't want anything like that to happen to him ever again.

Finally, Littlefoot sighed. "Well, I guess we could make sure he's okay." He said slowly as if trying to convince himself it was a good idea.

"But how we find him?" Petri asked as he fluttered down from his branch to perch on Spikes back.

"I know!" Ducky cried, jumping up from her rock. "Spike could sniff him out! Just like he did at the Time of Great Giving that one time. Yep, yep, yep!"

Littlefoot turned to look at the young Spiketail. "Well Spike?" After a second to ponder he idea, Spike nodded which caused Littlefoot to beam. "Great! Ruby, can you take us to where you last saw Chomper?"

The Fast Runner nodded and gestured for them to follow her. In no time, they found themselves on the banks of one of the many rivers that ran throughout the Valley. There was disturbed dirt in an area off to the side near some bushes and a small red stain which showed that something was eaten there recently. It was the usual scene that Chomper left behind after he had finished eating, which didn't bother them as much anymore. And luckily, the rest of the Valley was slowly becoming used to it as well, except for the few dirty looks directed at the young Sharptooth from time to time.

Ruby walked over pointed to the patch of disturbed dirt. "He buried his leftovers right here." She began. "His smell should be here so Spike will be able to sniff for him."

Spike grunted and nodded, before stepping next the Fast Runner and taking a sniff. Immediately, he was hit with the sour metallic smell of blood which made him grimace in disgust. He quickly ignored that and focused on the more familiar scent of his friend. Although his dietary needs made Chomper regularly smell of blood, it was very subtle and it had just became part of his unique scent. It took a little more sniffing, and trying not to gag, but he eventually found the scent he was looking for. He perked up and began to follow it away from the river, aware of his friends following behind him.

The scent trail led them across the Valley, though bushes and places that were out of sight from other dinosaurs. The further they went, the more suspicious and confused they became as it seemed that Chomper seemed to purposely avoid being seen. He had stayed clear of the areas with major foot traffic and had sometimes even gone into the bushes suddenly as if hiding from an approaching dinosaur. The group eventually came to the conclusion that the young Sharptooth was definitely up to something if the way that he acted was any indication. They just hoped it wasn't anything that could get him into trouble.

They soon found themselves staring at the stone wall that surrounded and protected the Great Valley. It wasn't far from where they were playing in the watering hole, but the constant backtracking and bush whacking had made the trip longer and more tiresome. Spike led them along the stone wall and up ahead they spotted a large tunnel. As they got closer, they recognized it as the same tunnel that they frequently used to travel into the Mysterious Beyond during their adventures.

They stopped at the tunnels entrance and Littlefoot turned to Spike who stood beside him. "Did Chomper go in there, Spike?" He asked. The Spiketail sniffed the air and nodded, grunting an affirmative.

Cera snorted. "Why would he go in there?"

"Only one way to find out." Littlefoot replied, shrugging. He the gestured for Spike to take the lead and followed behind him, the rest walking into the familiar darkness after them.

After a while, they pushed aside the strong smelling vines and were greeted with the sight if the Mysterious Beyond. Thankfully, the tunnel let out in an area that was hidden by trees and bushes so they didn't have to worry about being spotted while they exited. There was a small pathway, worn down by the amount of times they used it, that led to a huge field broken up by large trees and bushes that dotted the area. As they passed by the bushes and stepped into the open, they began to become apprehensive of what they could possibly find. All they knew was that their Sharptooth friend was up to something and he had come out into the Mysterious Beyond by himself. And although it wasn't the first time, they couldn't help but worry.

Once free from the bushes, they looked around to make sure that the coast was clear. Even though a Sharptooth could be lurking somewhere out of sight, it was better to be safe than sorry. A habit they had picked up after many excursions into the Mysterious Beyond, only this time they were missing the one who would smell if anything was nearby.

"Hey!" Petrie chirped. He swiftly landed on the back of Cera, who he was closest to, and pointed in the direction he had been looking. "Me think me see him! He  _way_  over there!"

The others quickly looked to where he was pointing and in the distance they saw a purple form leaving the field. He appeared to be walking towards an area that they knew contained a thick forest, one that was easy to get lost in if you weren't careful. Fortunately, they were far enough away that Petrie's cry went unnoticed by the Sharptooth and they watched him disappear behind a boulder.

"We better catch up so we don't lose him in the trees." Littlefoot said before starting to lightly jog after Chomper and the others fell in step after him.

They soon rounded the boulder just in time to see his tail melt into the green of the forest. From there, they quietly followed him at a distance, managing to stay downwind as to avoid being detected by scent. Once, they had to quickly duck behind a bush because Spike had accidentally rustled some leaves which drew Chomper's attention. After a few seconds, the Sharptooth carried on and the others crept out of hiding. The further on they went, the more familiar the area seemed to become. However, they couldn't figure out the reason why they felt this way.

Eventually, Chomper stood before a large cliff face which served as the opening to a canyon. The others watched from the trees as the young Sharptooth fearlessly walked into its depths. Littlefoot frowned as he looked upon the huge hole in the rock wall. The feeling of recognition was back and now it was even stronger. He looked to his friends and saw that they wore the same expressions, seemingly feeling the same as well.

Cera was the first to break the silence. "Does this place seem familiar to anyone else?" She asked, speaking lowly. The rest nodded their heads, quietly voicing their agreement.

"Me thought it just Petrie." Petrie replied shrugging. He had settled on a small branch when they had stopped to watch Chomper.

"This place is very familiar, though I don't remember being here enough for it to  _be_  familiar." Ruby said. She then gestured in the direction that Chomper disappeared. "But if Chomper knows this place then we should too!"

Littlefoot turned back to the canyon in thought. Chomper had come straight here from the Valley so he must know exactly where he was going. And if he had been here before then the others must have been here before too. However, they had been in so many canyons during their adventures that it was hard to remember each one individually. It also doesn't explain why Chomper would leave the safety of the Great Valley to come to a canyon in the Mysterious Beyond without telling his friends. Chomper was also acting really weird and had been so for a while. Ever since. . .

Littlefoot's eyes widened in realization and he whipped around to his friends. "I think I remember this place! Remember a week or so ago when we go lost in that canyon?"

"That  _really_  narrows it down." Cera huffed, rolling her eyes.

Littlefoot ignored her and continued. "I think I know why Chomper came here. Come on!" With that he bolted from the bushes and towards the canyon, his friends hurrying to catch up.

Once they entered the giant stone archway, they had Spike pick up the trail again as the ground proved to be too hard for foot prints to be distinguishable. They also had to be careful since the sound would bounce off of the walls and alert their quarry. Even their footsteps, which they tried to silence as much as possible, and Spikes occasional sniffs echoed around them which made them inwardly wince. The canyon itself was a maze of passages, all differing in size, that split off of the one that they currently travelled. Their path twisted and turned like a Legless Ground Crawler and if it wasn't for Spike's tracking then they would have no hope of finding Chomper.

As they rounded another corner, their ears picked up a familiar voice which the group quickly recognized as Chomper's. They could faintly hear bits of what he was saying, but it sounded like he was talking to someone. And it was in Leafeater. They glanced at each other in confusion and started to creep closer to where the sound was coming from. Soon, they were able to hear more of the conversation between Chomper and the mystery dinosaur. Chomper was speaking slower than he usually did and it sounded like he was putting more emphasis on his pronunciations, then he paused.

Littlefoot frowned when a female voice with a heavy accent began repeating what Chomper had said, albeit more slower and broken. The voice was low yet feminine, somewhere between how Cera and Ruby sounded, but had a growling undertone to it. Like someone who didn't move their lips enough when they talked. He heard Chomper praise the owner of the voice and then move on to say something else in the same way he had done before. Littlefoot looked back at his friends and locked eyes with Cera, who raised a brow, and he gave a small shrug in response.

They silently made it to the next corner and slowly peeked around it. The canyon opened up into a larger space with a tiny stream cutting throughout it off to the side and continuing down another path. Near the banks of the steam stood a large boulder with a fallen log, covered in moss and still retaining its roots, leaning against it. A voice brought their attention to the base of the boulder and the sight made them suck in a breath.

Chomper was sitting comfortably across from a light grey form which they recognized as another Sharptooth. Thankfully, the Grey Sharptooth had its back to them and both Sharpteeth were too distracted by each other to notice the gang. Chomper opened his mouth and instead of saying something in Sharptooth like they were expecting, he spoke very slowly in Leafeater. He emphasized his pronunciations as he did before, but they saw him exaggerate his mouth movements while saying each word. It was a relatively simple phrase, something that most younglings were able to say while learning to talk.

' _Do you want to be friends?'_

From their vantage point, Littlefoot watched as Chomper looked at the other Sharptooth expectantly. What was Chomper expecting exactly? Littlefoot knew that, excluding Chomper and  _very_  few others, Sharpteeth couldn't speak Leafeater. It was a well known fact that-

". . . Do y-you. . . want to be. . . f-friends?"

Littlefoot blanched and he heard his friends gasp and, those who could, quickly cover their mouths. Chomper was teaching a Sharptooth how to speak Leafeater?! Is that why he's been sneaking off? Why was he doing that?

Cera hissed. "I  _knew_  he was up to something!"

"Shh, Cera!" Littlefoot hushed, nudging her shoulder.

The shock had worn off enough that he began to remember the second voice that they had been hearing. The feminine, heavily accented voice had come from this Sharptooth! And the more that he watched them, the more Littlefoot found that the female was incredibly familiar, just like the canyon had been. Then it finally hit him like a strike of Sky Fire. Back at the entrance, Littlefoot remembered their adventure when they became lost in this very canyon and had help from a friendly Sharptooth who showed them the way out. He didn't know for sure before, but now he knew that she was the same Sharptooth.

"Guys, remember that Sharptooth who helped us get back?" Littlefoot whispered. "I think that's her."

"But," Ducky started. "That doesn't explain why he lied. No, no, no."

Cera snorted. "Well, he's got a lot of explaining to do!" And before anyone could stop her, Cera stepped out from behind the rocks and started marching right towards the two Sharpteeth.

The sudden appearance of the Threehorn startled the Sharpteeth, not that Littlefoot could blame them as he had been on the receiving end of her anger on multiple occasions. Chomper jumped up with an audible gasp while the female tensed and moved into a defensive stance. Her legs were some distance apart for stability with her tail held straight out for balance and her head was lowered, bearing a vicious looking snarl. Littlefoot winced and then sighed in defeat before leading the others out from their hiding place.

" _Cera_?!" Chomper yelped, moving to stand between them and the female Sharptooth. He then glanced behind the Threehorn to see the rest of his friends. "W-What are you guys doing here?"

"We could ask  _you_  the same thing." Cera replied with a huff. She then moved closer, which made the female tense, and narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing in the Mysterious Beyond? And why are you teaching  _her_ Leafeater?" She continued sneering at the Grey Sharptooth who hissed back at her.

Chomper blocked the other Sharptooth from view of the Threehorn, hoping to pacify them both before things got any worse. "She's my friend." He declared confidently. "And she wanted to learn."

"But why lie to us?" Littlefoot stepped in, nudging Cera back a little. "Why come all the way out here alone? You know how dangerous it is." He heard the others chime in with their agreements.

"We're your friends Chomper." Ruby said, moving closer to place a hand on his shoulder. "And friends worry about friends even when there's nothing to worry about."

Chomper sighed. "I'm sorry. I-I just really wanted to see Arya again and I figured you guys wouldn't want to." He turned his gaze and saw Arya looking at him with a confused head tilt, having zero idea what was going on since she understood only a few words. Chomper smiled slightly and turned back to his friends. "But I think you guys should officially meet."

He then turned to the female Sharptooth and growled something to her, gesturing to the gang. Whatever he said seemed to calm her down as she dropped her defensive stance, but still eyed them nervously. Her and Chomper exchanged a few words, glancing in their direction occasionally, before Chomper gently nudged her forward with a smile. They were confused as the previously vicious looking Sharptooth fidgeted anxiously, like a young dinosaur going up to speak in front of a large herd. With Chomper encouraging her, the Grey Sharptooth took a breath.

"H-Hello. . . my name is Arya." She started making their eyes widen. Although her accent was thick, her words were decipherable enough to understand. She then looked at Chomper who eagerly nodded and she continued. "Do you. . . w-want to be. . . friends?"

At first, they didn't know what to say as they were too overcome by shock. In the background, Chomper was giddy, bouncing on the balls of his feet and smiling so hard that his cheeks must have been starting to hurt. Arya watched them with anticipation, nervously playing with her claws. They glanced at each other, Cera raised a brow in doubt of Arya's honesty but thankfully didn't voice her opinion.

Finally, Littlefoot spoke. "Uh. . . Okay."

Chomper cheered and pumped a fist in victory which caused them to smile, including Arya. He rushed forward and had each of them introduce themselves in the way he had demonstrated before. One by one they said their name slowly and with exaggerated mouth movements and had Arya repeat what they had said. Arya caught on quick and was able to point to each of them and remember their names, although some came out sounding weird because of her accent. Chomper never stopped smiling, showing how happy he was that his best friends had accepted his new friend. Now he wouldn't have to be sneaking out of the Valley anymore to visit Arya.

"So Arya," Ruby started after the introductions were finished. "What made you decide to learn how to speak Leafeater? It must not be easy. Easy it must not be."

Arya frowned in confusion before looking to Chomper for a translation. After talking for a second, she turned back to the Fast Runner. "I-I want. . . to be friends." She replied shakily followed by a grin.

"I think she was lonely." Chomper elaborated, casting a small smile at the female Sharptooth. "She's been alone ever since her mom died during the last Cold Time. We were probably the first to talk to her since then." Upon hearing this, they gave Arya a sympathetic look as they knew what it was like to lose a family member.

They then passed the time making small talk with their new friend and helped Chomper teach her more Leafeater words. Arya would sometimes point to something and ask what it was, a short phrase Chomper had taught her, then they would tell her what it was in Leafeater. Other times she would rely on a game of charades or expressions to get across what she was trying to convey. Littlefoot and the others were amazed by her progress in such a short amount of time. There were slip ups occasionally, but she didn't let that deter her. The more that they talked, the more that Arya seemed to open up and let her playful personality start to shine through.

Meanwhile, Chomper was the happiest that they had seen him in a long time. He was grinning from ear to ear and happily teaching Arya new words or chatting with her in Sharptooth, then quickly translating for the others. They were impressed by his determination to teach something so complicated and the efficiency of his lessons. Even after his failure during the Time of Great Giving some Cold Times ago, he had confidence that his friendship with another Sharptooth would work out this time.

It was during these lessons that they noticed something else. Sometimes, when him and Arya were conversing in Sharptooth, Chomper would suddenly become very bashful and his face would heat up which would make Arya and the others snicker. They noticed that he would watch Arya with a warm smile, watching her intently. Cera and Littlefoot shared a knowing look with Ruby, catching on to another possible reason why Chomper wanted to teach her Leafeater. It was adorably amusing to watch.

Sometime later, they decided to end the lessons as the Bright Circle was beginning its decent from the sky. They said their good-byes to Arya, promising to return soon, and started the trek back home. Chomper was still in good spirits that his friends had accepted Arya as another one of their social group and was chattering on about what he and Arya had done the last few times he ad met up with her. At least they knew why he had come back stinking like a swamp few days ago.

As Chomper grew more excited about what they were going to do now with the whole gang together, Cera smirked. "Chomper's got a girlfriend! Chomper's got a girlfriend!" She chanted teasingly.

Chomper interrupted his plans for future adventures and swiftly directed a glare at the Threehorn. "She's not my girlfriend." He growled.

"Stop teasing him, Cera." Littlefoot stepped in, smiling a slightly in spite of his friend's annoyance. "He's just excited to have another friend."

Cera laughed. " Yeah, a friend who's a Sharptooth and a  _girl_! And a friend who he was looking at like Spike looks at Tree Sweets!" At this everyone chuckled. They then laughed harder when Chomper got red in the face and shouted, his voice cracking in either anger or embarrassment.

" _Cera!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Legless Ground Crawler: A snake in LBT speak. I've never heard them mention snakes at all in the series so I tried my best to come up with a suitable term.


	5. Oneshot: The Coldest Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Write a story about a character rising to the occasion after experiencing a loss or hardship in life.’ While out on a hunt, Arya is reminded of when she had to quickly grow up after experiencing the worst hardship anyone could endure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be an entry for the August 2019 fanfiction prompt challenge over on Gangoffive, but I missed the deadline. This is also the longest chapter for this fic at 5,740 words so that might explain why its so late. Also, it kind of got away from me when writing this as I drew upon some personal experiences.
> 
> Warning: The following story contains death, minor gore descriptions, illness, and instances of emotional distress. If any of this offends/triggers you please don't read.
> 
> See bottom for Behind-the-scenes info.

_Maybe learning how to speak Leafeater was a bad idea._

Arya winced from her hiding place in the bushes. In front of her was a whole herd of Swimmers, the large numbers strongly indicated that it was a migrating herd. She watched as an adult female lay prone on the ground, her breathing laboured no doubt in excruciating pain and surrounded by her herd mates. There were also a group of younger Swimmers at the feet of the adults and they were nuzzling and cuddling with the downed female. From her vantage point, Arya could see tears trailing down the faces of those gathered and even though she had no idea what they were saying to each other, she knew what was happening.

They were grieving.

Today was one of those days where the Scalies didn't seem to want to get close enough for her to be able to catch them. It was also one of those days where she was getting bored of eating the same thing everyday so she decided to try her luck at hunting. Or scavenging, which was what she usually did on days like these as she was still too small to go after the bigger prey items. So upon exiting the canyon, the young Sharptooth turned her nose to the wind and sniffed for any signs of food. After a few tries, Arya managed to pick up a scent originating from nearby that had held some promise. It was from a Swimmer, but it was tainted and bitter smelling which she quickly recognized as some type of infection and Arya wrinkled her nose in disgust. Although it smelled bitter, most infections didn't affect the taste of the meat except at the immediate site of it. And thankfully, Sharpteeth had strong stomachs so they were able to eat meat that was nearly rotting and not get sick from it. However, there was one rule that you always had to follow while scavenging: if it tastes bad, like really bad, spit it out. Sometimes it was just too rotten to safely consume.

Arya followed the trail which led her to a large Swimmer herd and the young Sharptooth scanned the sea of dinosaurs to find the one she was looking for. Spotting a smaller gathering on the outskirts of the herd, she carefully stalked towards them through the bushes to keep out of sight. Soon, she came upon the Swimmer that she had been tracking. It was an adult female with a particularly grisly looking gash on her leg. The wound was long and looked deep and it was oozing a blood tinged yellow liquid. It was no doubt severely infected and the source of the bitter scent which had led Arya here. The female definitely looked to be on her last legs as she lay there panting on the ground surrounded by what looked to be her family. It looked to be only a matter of time until she passed.

Even though she was a hunter, Arya felt uncomfortable watching such a private moment unfold before her. Therefore, she settled down in the bush and avoided looking in their direction to give them their privacy to say goodbye. Being able to understand them wasn't necessary as body language could speak volumes and mourning was universal.

Finally, Arya was shaken from her thoughts when one of the gathered Swimmers made a loud, wailing call. Immediately the others joined in as well as did many from the rest of the herd not too far away. She had heard these types of calls many times during her life in the Mysterious Beyond and knew at once that this was a mourning call. Many herds practiced this and let out the haunting call when one of their own had passed on, it was something all Sharpteeth recognized. Some even used it as a dinner bell to let them know when there was fresh meat around.

After the herd finished their calls they then began to move on, the adults who had gathered around the dying female wrestling away some of the youngsters. They must have been the female's offspring as they desperately clung onto the female's body to keep from being separated. The gut wrenching cries that came from them brought tears to Arya's eyes and she winced again, quickly looking away. She was thankful that her lessons weren't advanced enough yet to hear what they had said, the pure emotion behind them was enough. Arya watched with sympathy as they joined with the rest of their herd and they soon disappeared from the field.

When the last tail rounded the corner, Arya quietly stepped out of her hiding spot. She sniffed and wiped her eyes as she walked towards the dead Swimmer, her appetite had suddenly disappeared. As she got up to the body and poked it with her claw, she realized it was still warm and the eyes haven’t even begun to cloud over yet. If the Swimmer was still breathing it would look like she was just asleep, aside from the giant leaking wound on her leg. Arya suddenly felt sick as her mind replaced the Swimmer’s body with someone else’s, the two deaths were way too similar in her mind.

_“Don't take more than you need, but don't waste what you have.”_

It was something that her mother had taught her. Life in the Mysterious Beyond was brutal and wasting food could sometimes be a death sentence. So inner turmoil or not, she needed to eat. Arya forced herself to take a bite while avoiding looking at the face. It made it easier to think that this was just some random dead dinosaur and not someone's mother. Or the dinosaur that she kept picturing in the Swimmer’s place.

Growing up, it was always just Arya and her mother. Her father had left before her egg was even laid and Arya didn't understand why anyone could abandon their mate and future child like he did. The first thing that she saw once she was free of her egg were her mother's rust coloured scales that shone brilliantly in the Bright Circle. If it weren't for the honey coloured eyes that Arya had inherited from her then you would've never guessed that they were related. Arya learned later on that her grey scales came from her father's side, much to her dismay. She quickly noticed that whenever her mother talked about the male, there was sadness in her eyes. It was obvious that she still loved him, even though he had abandoned her to raise a hatchling, their hatchling, alone. When Arya had asked why he had done so, her mother had said that he wasn't ready for the responsibility of becoming a father. Arya was of course mad upon hearing of this reasoning, soon adopting an unsympathetic attitude towards the unknown male. If he didn't want her then she didn't need him.

However, since she was being raised by a single parent, Arya often had to accompany her mother on hunts from an early age. Normally, one parent went out hunting while the other stayed behind to watch over the hatchlings, but there was no one else to watch Arya while she was gone. So she followed her mother on hunts, staying behind and watching from a safe distance while the adult Sharptooth made the kill. And through observation, Arya quickly learned essential hunting skills which she then practiced on smaller creatures such as crawlers or ground fuzzies.

But she also learned that not all hunts were a certainty and it took a lot of skill as well as luck for it to be successful. On those days that luck was not on their side, her mother took her down to a large watering hole to try their luck at catching Scaly Swimmers. Unlike with stalking the herds, they had to wait for the Scalies to come within striking distance, which required more patience than a young Sharptooth was able to express. Still it amazed a young Arya when her mother suddenly struck the water and came back up with a large Scalie wiggling in her mouth.

Arya bounced in excitement as the adult Sharptooth waded to shore. _“That was so cool, Mom!”_ She cried, jumping around the adult's feet. _“How did you do that?”_

Her mother dropped the Scalie, which hung still in her jaws, on the ground and chuckled. _“Its something that_ my _mother taught_ me _when I was your age.”_

_“Can you do it again?”_

The adult female laughed at the awestruck look on her daughter’s face. _“Maybe after we're done eating.”_ She said before nudging Arya towards the dead Scalie.

_“Why?”_ Arya questioned, tilting her head in confusion which made her smile.

_“Because if I catch more than what we'll be able to eat then we would be wasting food. Tell you what, I'll show you how to catch them later for supper tonight.”_ She replied gently. Arya vigorously nodded her head which caused her mother to chuckle as she watched her daughter dig into her meal.

Just as she had promised, later that day her mother led her to the water's edge and they waded out until the water reached Arya's waist. Although the water only went just passed her ankles, the adult Sharptooth stood beside her and coached her on the proper technique for fishing. She wasn't successful the first few times but her mother encouraged her that with more practice she would become a pro in no time. So Arya practiced anytime that she could and soon she was finally able to catch a Scaly Swimmer all by herself with her mother watching on proudly. And because she was the one to catch it, it was the best meal she'd ever eaten.

As Arya got older, her mother let her have a more active role during their hunts. She would give a loud roar to scare the Leafeaters into running towards an area where her mother would ambush them and deal the killing blow to one of the unfortunate herd members. However, there were times when that strategy would only succeed in causing the Leafeaters to become defensive and guard their weaker herd mates. When that happened, it forced Arya and her mother to abandon the hunt as it became too dangerous and not worth the risk. Now that Arya was contributing to the hunts, she realized why her mother mostly targeted the old, sick, or otherwise weaker dinosaurs. A healthy Leafeater could seriously injure a Sharptooth and, if one were stupid enough to take on a whole herd, could even kill them. And since her mother needed to be able to provide for her daughter, she couldn't risk an injury.

One Cold Time was especially harsh for both Sharpteeth. Arya had recently entered the Time of Great Growing and was quickly become a prolific hunter to the smaller prey items that she encountered. However, finding prey in the frozen wasteland of the Mysterious Beyond was becoming harder in that they regularly went without food some days. And since she was still growing, most of the food that they did manage to find went to Arya, despite her protests. Though the meager amount of food wasn't enough to fill either of their bellies and they went hungry.

It was during one hunt that Arya noticed her mother becoming slower, almost tired, and her breathing seemed laboured. Her mother had quickly brushed off her concerns and told her to focus on the hunt, but Arya was still worried. She kept an eye on the older Sharptooth while the two stalked the weakened Spikethumb, sneaking concerned glances at her periodically. Luckily the hunt was a success but Arya watched as her mother struggled to regain her breath from the sudden exertion of the killing strike. They wouldn't have to go hungry that night and hopefully her mother's exhaustion was due to the lack of food lately.

It wasn't.

The Spikethumb carcass lasted them a few days but the adult female's energy didn't seem improve. In fact, Arya feared that it was getting worse as even simple tasks, such as a short sprint, left her mother heaving for breath and wincing in pain. All the while she assured Arya that she was fine and that there was nothing to be worried about.

It was during a hunt a few days later that Arya realized that something was indeed wrong. Arya had chased their chosen target into a ravine which was their agreed upon ambush spot. When the old Swimmer rounded the corner, Arya's mother shot out from behind some rocks with a loud roar and her mouth wide open aiming a killing bite to the neck. However, the panicked Swimmer swiftly dodged her lunge and bolted in the opposite direction which urged her to give chase, lest she lose their opportunity for a meal. However, in her hurry to go after the Swimmer, she failed to see the large rock in her path. She stumbled over it and crashed to the ground, allowing the Swimmer to escape.

Arya yelped in fear at seeing her mother fall and rushed to her side. _“Mom! Mom are you okay?”_

Her mother winced, breathing hard. _“I'm fine, Sweetie.”_ She gasped which caused Arya to bite her lip.

_“M-Maybe we should go home?”_ Arya said shakily, nudging her mother in comfort. _“You don't look so good, Mom.”_ Thankfully after a moment, her mother agreed and nodded, unable to speak clearly through her panting.

Arya, being too small to be of any help, watched as the adult Sharptooth struggled to get back to her feet. Once fully standing, her mother paused to steady her breathing as even that small exertion seemed to be too much for her. Then they slowly made their way back to the shallow cave in which they had made their den. On the way, Arya snuck concerned glances at her mother, the raspiness of her breathing worried her. The female Sharptooth gave her a reassuring smile when she caught her daughter watching, though that didn't ease her worries.

Her mother's strength seemed to run out just as they arrived back at their den as the adult Sharptooth collapsed on the ground in an exhausted heap. Arya once again yelped in fear, and seeing that her laboured breathing had returned, gently nuzzled her.

Then she heard a soft rattling noise and her heart, which had begun to race when the adult Sharptooth had first stumbled over the rock, froze. It suddenly felt like Hard Water had broken under her and she was dumped into water that was so cold that it ached. She quickly realized that this was so much more than the normal weakness that came from hunger and the Cold Time. It was the beginning stages of _Water Lung_.

Water Lung was a kind of sickness that affected a dinosaur’s breathing. They couldn't breath properly and it felt like they had water or some other kind of liquid stuck in their lungs. It started with a dinosaur becoming tired or short of breath after even the smallest exertions. Then they would begin to cough, sometimes hacking up what was in their lungs, and have to deal with chest pain. Eventually, the affected dinosaur would become weaker and weaker until the sickness claimed them. And while there was medicinal plants that would help ease the symptoms, Water Lung was extremely difficult to treat. It was especially hard during the Cold Time when there were no plants available. However even with the plants, recovery depended on how Water Lung affected each dinosaur or how minor the case was.

Arya's mother seemed to be in the beginning stages of the sickness, but the combined complications of not eating and the Cold Time were taking its toll on the Sharptooth. The adult seemed to be in a trance, focusing on catching her breath while trying to manage the pain and Arya didn't know if her mother even realized that she was still there. Arya felt tears prickling at her eyes as she watched her mother struggle to breath and the rattling made her want to cover her ears. Her mother was in no condition to hunt let alone leave their den.

The young Sharptooth sniffed and wiped her eyes before curling up against the adult's side. She clenched her eyes shut with a grimace. While she was hungry, Arya refused to leave the den as she felt that she needed to be there for support. It also comforted her somewhat to know that her mother was still there.

Arya continued stayed by her mother's side for days, only leaving to drink, hunt or relieve herself. Whenever she went hunting, Arya barely managed to find anything that could satisfy her hunger, let alone a fully grown Sharptooth’s, as many of her usual prey item’s hid during the Cold Times. Her mother still declined food as the pain and fatigue from her illness destroyed her appetite. Every day she seemed to get weaker and her bones became more and more pronounced.

Her coughing and the rattling from her lungs got progressively worse, making her hack up the gunk that was in her lungs and leaving her exhausted and gasping. Arya was nauseated every time she saw her mother enter another coughing fit that usually ended with her spitting out a glob of yellow-green mucus. It was also terrifying to listen to someone go through and Arya was scared that every coughing fit might be her mother's last.

A few weeks after her mother became too sick to leave their den, Arya stared at the looming dark clouds from the safety of the cave. While the young Sharptooth was out hunting, the wind had picked up and she felt the sudden drop in temperature. Arya quickly headed home when she saw the dark clouds rolling in, signs that a storm was coming. She had made it back just as the wind kicked up enough ground sparkles to blind anyone stuck in the brewing storm. A shiver raced up her spine so she retreated back to her mother's side.

The adult Sharptooth was exhausted from coughing and dealing with the pain of her sickness so she slept a majority of the time. Her only reaction when Arya pressed up to her side for warmth, was a twitch of her lips into a tiny smile that disappeared into a pained grimace a second later. The rattling had also risen in volume to where Arya could easily hear it when she entered the cave. Arya often had to cover her ears to block out the horrible noise, silently crying to herself. Tonight, the howling wind was comforting as it was a welcome distraction from the rattles. Arya was content to watch the storm until a faint voice broke through the wind and knocked her from her thoughts.

_“Ari.”_

Arya perked up and turned to look at her mother who had a hazy golden eye trained on her. This was the first time she had hear her mother speak in a while since it took too much effort most days. She sounded very hoarse, barely able to project anything above a whisper, and he rattling was still present but Arya was too happy to care.

She swallowed the lump in her through and crawled closer to the adult Sharptooth’s head. _“Yeah Mom?”_ Her voice was thick with emotion and her eyes were starting to well up. 

Seeing her daughter tearing up, she smiled. _“It’s alright, Sweetie. Don't cry.”_

_“H-How is it alright?!”_ Arya whimpered, sniffing and wiping her eyes. _“You're getting worse! I don't know what to do. I . . . I'm,”_ Arya paused and hugged herself, tears now running freely. _“I'm scared.”_

_“I know, Sweetie.”_ Her mother replied.

What else she was going to say was cut off by another coughing fit, causing Arya to jump away to give her some space. However, this time she was so tired that she couldn't muster the strength bring anything up and was left gasping when it was finished. The adult female grimaced in pain from her raw throat before settling back down.

_“But whatever happens. . . know that I love you. I want you to . . . keep going. No matter what.”_ As her mother paused to catch her breath, Arya jumped forward and nuzzled her mother's cheek.

_“Love you too, Mom.”_ Arya she replied, tearfully nuzzling her mother's cheek.

They huddled together that night for warmth as the storm raged outside. The combination of howling winds and her mother's rattling kept her awake until she was so exhausted that she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. When Arya opened her eyes the next morning she was met with silence. Confused, she looked around to find that the storm had long since passed and ground sparkles had partially buried the entrance to their den. She then turned to her mother to find her still sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with her shallow breaths. Arya let out a sigh of relief knowing that her mother had survived another night. With one last nuzzle for her mother, Arya left the den in search of food.

Thankfully, the ground sparkles that piled up at the entrance wasn’t as deep as she thought they were as it barely came to her hips. She was in awe at the immense amount of white that had deposited overnight as a result of last night's storm. It was nearly waist deep in some places which forced her to dig her way through. Eventually, her nose led her to an area known for its hilly terrain.

As she crested a particularly steep hill, Arya felt the ground shift under her and she was suddenly sent tumbling down the other side, kicking up a cloud of ground sparkles. Her decent was only stopped when she collided with a large, hard object. Arya picked herself up and shook herself free of the small white particles, unknowingly bumping the object that had stopped her. Her bump had knocked off some of the ground sparkles that had piled on top of it to reveal what it actually was.

It was a young adult Swimmer that looked not to have been able to find shelter during the storm the previous night. Arya’s stomach growled and she immediately went to work on tearing through the meat. The Swimmer was stiff as Hard Water and Arya struggled to tear off a piece even with her sharp teeth. Although the toughness of the Swimmer slowed her down, she ate ravenously as it had been a few days since her last meal.

After she ate her fill, Arya bit off another chunk to bring back with her to the den. Even though her mother usually refused to eat what she brought back, Arya hoped that today would be different. So with the morsel stored snuggly in her jaws, the young Sharptooth began the trek back up the steep hill, having to utilize her claws to grip and aid in her climbing.

Arya finally made it back to the den just as the Bright Circle left its highest. She was exhausted but as she entered the cave, she was met with silence. Arya frowned and dropped the meat to look around the den in confusion. There was nothing except for the eerie silence and the feeling that something wasn't right. She slowly picked up the meat and walked towards her mother, eyes darting around for anything that was amiss.

Arya dropped the meat in front of the adult Sharptooth. _“Hey Mom, I brought you something to eat.”_ There was no response. Arya was used to this as her mother sometimes slept heavily on days when she felt even the smallest bit of relief. And although she really didn't want to disturb her nap, Arya tried again.

_“Mom?”_ Nothing.

Arya then nudged her mother's face and called to her again, this time louder, but there wasn't any acknowledgement. She felt her breathing constrict as panic started to take hold of her. The young Sharptooth tried again and again to rouse her mother, getting louder and desperate each time. Tears started to drip down her cheeks as her panic grew. Then Arya remembered the silence that had greeted her back when she returned to the den and how it felt so wrong.

There was no rattling.

Cold fear seemed to grip her as Arya rushed to her mother's chest and placed her ear against it. Arya pleaded to herself and to anyone who would listen that she would hear something, anything that would prove that everything was fine, but silence once again greeted her. It felt like all the air suddenly left her body and she began to shake. Shock and despair started to race through her and she crumbled to the ground as heavy sobs escaped her. Her mother was gone and she was right to have feared the silence.

She cuddled into her mother's side long after her tears had dried and her sobs had made her throat raw. Arya wearily watched as the Bright Circle descended behind the distant mountains. She felt as if a numbness had taken over her body and she lacked the will to move just yet so she made the mental decision to wait until morning to leave. That way she could spend more time with her mother before having to say goodbye for the last time. Unfortunately, by the time the Bright Circle had risen again, Arya was still awake and feeling even worse. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't fall asleep with the swirl of emotions racing through her head. What was once a place of warmth and comfort at her mother's side was now cold and barely blocking the wind.

Arya slowly got to her feet and wiped the crust of dry tears from her face, that had sprung up several times during the night. The Bright Circle seemed to taught her with its warm glow which shone through the cave’s entrance, making Arya direct a glare outside. How dare it be a nice day while she had her world crumble around her! She screwed her eyes shut as she took a deep breath, opening them to be greeted with the still, serene face of her mother. If it weren't for the fact that she was cold and stiff, Arya could have still mistaken her for being asleep.

Then her eyes caught the slab of meat she had brought back yesterday. Usually she would've had the leftovers for breakfast the next day, but yesterday’s events had soured her appetite. Also, the meat suddenly reminded her of an old Sharptooth tradition. Whenever a Sharptooth died, a piece of meat was left next to the body to help them in the Great Beyond. Although the actual purpose of the meat was lost over time, it was largely thought that the meat sustained them until they made their journey or acted as and offer to buy them passage. Arya's mother had taught her about the tradition when they unexpectedly came upon a dead Sharptooth with a sizable piece of meat placed next to him.

Arya swallowed the lump in her throat before picking up the meat in her jaws. She was hoping that she wouldn't have had to partake in the tradition for a while, if at all, but if it would help her mother in the Great Beyond then she had to do it. She gently set the slab down in the crook of the adult Sharptooth's neck and backed away, biting her lip. The metallic taste that she used to crave, now turned her stomach.

Gazing upon her mother's face, her lip trembled and she felt her eyes sting as more tears gathered. With a sob, Arya pressed herself to her mother's side in a final hug, burying her face into the spot where the jaw transitioned into her neck. This was Arya's favourite place to cuddle on bad days or days when she needed extra comfort. It was a place of safety where she was comforted by her mother's strong heartbeat and shielded her from the rest of the world. Arya tried to think back on those days, hoping to replace this memory with a happier one, but her mind remained blank. The young Sharptooth breathed in her mother's scent to remember it for as long as she could, knowing that this would be the last time. She winced when she also picked up the death scent that was slowly beginning to overtake that of her mother's.

Arya took a shaky breath and picked herself up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Once more looking at her mother's still face, she opened her mouth to recite a prayer she'd heard her mother speak when she taught her about the tradition. She spoke low as her voice was hoarse and shaking from crying.

_“M-May your journey bring you p-peace.”_

With a final tearful goodbye, Arya stepped out into the white landscape of the Mysterious Beyond. The light and cold wind burned her eyes which were now greatly sensitive due to the amount of tears she had shed. Forcing her eyes to stay open, she picked a random direction and started walking away from the cave as the wind suddenly began to feel colder. Though she didn't care as she wanted to put as much distance between her and the cave as possible.

She knew that she should have probably went back to the Swimmer carcass to get something to eat, but it was too far away and was probably almost gone by now. Also, Arya didn't feel like eating or much of anything for that matter. A strange numbness had taken over her the moment she had stepped out of the cave, but she didn't stop walking.

Arya only stopped when her legs couldn't go any farther and she all but collapsed under the branches of a huge tree, far from where she had started. She decided to spend the night there as the thick branches served as a shelter from the cold wind as the Bright Circle was starting to go down. The young Sharptooth was so exhausted by the day's events that she fell asleep quickly and deeply, and thankfully no sleep stories plagued her that night.

Arya soon entered a cycle of either walking until she couldn't anymore or staying where she had decided to make her temporary den for days on end. The numbness that she felt on the first day lingered and grew until she just laid and stared at nothing for hours. This took a toll on her health as her bones were starting to show through her skin and she lacked the energy to do anything. Her scales soon became dull and her eyes were bloodshot. And even though the first signs that the Cold Time was coming to an end had begun to happen, Arya still shivered as if it was still the height of the Cold Time. Arya's appetite was still near nonexistent so she ate just enough she keep herself alive and would feel sick if she ate more. The numbness scared her but she felt powerless against it.

Then, one day, Arya stumbled across a stream flowing from a canyon during one of her walks. The water had a swift current that prevented it from forming Hard Water in some places, but it didn't look too deep. Arya carefully perched on the bank and took a sip, shivering as the cold liquid ran down her throat.

A sudden flash from the deeper water in the middle of the stream caught her attention. It was a Scalie Swimmer! Her stomach growled which surprised her, usually she had to force herself into even thinking of eating. She hungrily watched the Scalie lazily swim against the current, trying to decide if she should try to get it. Another growl, this time accompanied by a twinge of pain, decided for her as she found herself stepping into the freezing water. Arya stiffened and let out a strained yelp as the cold water seemed to chill her to her bones in the blink of an eye, leaving her shivering.

Arya took a second to prepare herself before wading deeper into the water, the cold nearly taking her breath away. When she was close enough, she entered the fishing stance and tried to control her shaking. The Scalie Swimmer didn't seem all that bothered by its possible doom lurking not to far away and stayed where it was. Deciding to tempt fate, Arya carefully inched her way closer and her movements caused the Scalie to become flighty and move further away from her. She paused for a second before resuming her stalking, more slowly this time, until she was within striking distance. The young Sharptooth desperately tried to control her shivering as she tensed her muscles to get ready for the spring. She couldn't afford to mess this up.

Then she lunged, water exploding and flying everywhere. When Arya raised her head, the wriggling Scalie was speared on her sharp teeth with blood dripping from where her teeth had broken the flesh. She clasped it tightly in her jaws and waded back to shore. Once back on land, she dropped the Scalie and placed a foot on it to hold it in place while she shook herself dry. Teeth still chattering, she took her meal to a nearby log where she was sheltered from the wind as she ate.

While she wasn't able to finish the Scalie Swimmer, she was able to eat more than she had previously without feeling ill. Arya felt proud of herself, something that she hadn't felt for a while. There was a small break in the numbness and she was starting to finally feel closer to how she had felt before. Although she knew that it would be a while before she was actually back to normal if at all fully. Until then, if the canyon wasn't inhabited already, Arya decided that she had found a place where she could heal.

At least for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As promised here are some Behind-the-scenes info.
> 
> Water Lung is the LBT universe version of pneumonia. Much of the symptoms are the same but extremely difficult to treat for as the plant that cures it is rare. And much of what Arya goes through is based on personal experiences when I lost loved ones (though not to the extremes that Arya goes through). 
> 
> On a happy note, I am almost done planning out the next chapter! It’s going to be back to Chomper and the gang getting closer with Arya. Hopefully I will have it done soon.


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